Selling at Craft Markets and Fairs: How to Set Up Your Stall for Succe

All the photos I comment on are of Sarah’s fabulous stall from Cotton Kiwi (NZ). She’s a pro when it comes to setting up her table … plus she runs Devonport Craft Market (NZ) so she’s a pro when it comes to Markets in general!! Haha




Use short phrases for your items.  Display them in a grid like these fab rose broaches.

 1. People do not like to read -
Short, direct phrases placed strategically around your booth will inform the customer without them having to stand there and read. So simplify it as much as you can.

2. The most important items should be placed in the middle -
I mean the vertical middle. They should be neither on the highest rack or the lowest. The first place the eye goes to is straight out, and then generally up and then finally down.



Jennie's dolls from a Little Vintage :)  Still set up using a basic grid system and then popped in the vertical middle of the table for max exposure.

 3. Think grid system -
Start by laying your items out in a grid... in neat rows... and THEN you can start to change it up slightly... tilt something here.. raise something there. But having everything be different and crazy and off skew can get muddled very easily. You want the customer to take it all in, not just glaze over your entire booth as they walk by. So simplify your display into grids and then throw in a surprise every once in a while.



Use different hights to add interest to your stall

 4. Different heights -
While still keeping things in a general grid pattern, make it more interesting by introducing different levels to your display. If everything is just laying on your table, the customer can just quickly glance through all of it. Challenge them by raising some items up higher...it will take them longer to look which means more time at your display. I do this cheaply and easily with those clementine crates you get at the grocery store (just cover them in fabric or place under your table cloth).

Love this wire tower that Sarah uses to create a new level. Also by repeating similar colors your eye goes up/down the display of toys.

5. Color is one of the most effective tools -
If you are conscience in how you arrange colors, you can create a really effective display! If you have something orange, for example, on the right end of your table, put another orange thing in the middle and then one more on the far end. Repeating colors draws the eye... it moves from one orange to another.. so that the customer views your entire display.

6. Free samples = smiles -
I always have some sort of free sample that I give to customers.. dog treats, hair bows for children, stickers, etc. This gives me an opening to draw people in and start a conversation. People might also remember you if you were the kind lady who made their screaming child stop and smile. I've had many people come back to my booth and say that they bought my earrings, etc because I gave their child something.

7. Pay attention -
Finally, if you go to a show and find that several people are confused about something or think your dog tags are keychains (like me)... fix it! I heard several people mumble, oh they're keychains.. and walk away.. so I made a big sign right above my tags that says "Pet ID Tags... waterproof, durable, custom made". And I noticed at my next show that some people looked at the tags and said "oh" and then looked at the sign and said "oooh" LOL So make sure you are always paying attention to your customers, even the ones who do not buy... because maybe there is a simple reason for it.


Thanks Kristen for the wonderful advice! If you have a pet in need of some cute tags why not pop on over to her Etsy shop and have a browse?!


Thanks Sarah for the wonderful photos, her fab handmade items can be found in her Etsy Shop and Felt shop.    

The next Devonport Craft Market (NZ) will happen on Sunday 2nd October 2011 (10-3pm) at the Devonport Community House, 32 Clarence Street, Devonport. Subsequent markets will be held on the first Sunday of each month.